A Treasure Called Friendship
by VancouverCougar
Summary: An OC story where some people I know get caught up in a little place called middle earth. There they will learn the true power of friendship.


I do not own any character except Kim. Kayla, Jimmy and Kerri all own themsleves. Read and review!

Friends For Life

It was a typical day. She got her bike from the garage and biked to her best friend JC's house.  
"Hey JC!"  
"Hey!"  
"Wanna go to the creek and wade in it for a while since the pool is closed?"  
"Sure, let me get my bike."  
They rode off together, laughing and racing each other along the way. They got to the creek, took their shoes off, and stepped in the cool water. The warm September sun of the Indian summer beat down on their backs as they walked along in the shallow stream.  
"JC I don't get it."  
"Get what?"  
"All of our friends have been kissed. Kayla was kissed by Jimmy, Ellen was kissed by Lance, and even little Kerri was kissed by Justin and both of them are only eight!"  
"And your point is?"  
"No guy would ever want to kiss me since I'm a tomboy." She placed a pout on her face.  
"So? They just don't know the real you!"  
"Am I really all that ugly JC?"  
"No, you are not, I repeat, not ugly."  
"Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"  
"No, I am just stating the truth. There is nothing wrong with you to make people think that you are ugly. Unless..."  
"Unless what Mr. I-Know-Everything-Under-The-Sun?"  
"Unless they had some weird brain disease that made them think that."  
"Real cute. Still, the only guy that really hangs around me and knows how I feel is..."  
"Who is it?"  
"Well," she said as she blushed, "you. I always tell you everything that I am feeling and you never tell anyone. Anyone else I know wouldn't care or would tell everyone so I look like a big idiot."  
"You know that Chris, Lance, Justin and Joey would never do that!"  
"Well, I just don't think that they feel and understand me how you do."  
Four more boys entered the clearing. She quickly ran out of the water, grabbed her shoes, and ran into the clearing.  
"Kim, come back!" He swiftly ran after her.  
"Oh great. She is Little Miss Moody again!"  
"I wonder what that was about," pondered Lance.  
The four boys ran after JC and Kim. JC was standing next to a large weeping willow tree.  
"JC, is she up there?" Joey gulped after saying this.  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"Because if she's in the clubhouse, that floor was about to fall out the last time anyone was in it. We went in there five months ago and the floor almost fell through."  
"Kim, get down you'll get hurt." The silence was broken as the group heard some sobs like someone was crying.  
"Kim, the floor in the clubhouse is gonna give way, get out of there!"  
As Justin finished his sentence, a tremendous crash was heard and they heard her cry out, "Guys! I'm stuck on a branch. It's cracking a lot. Hurry!"  
"I'll go up there."  
"Are you sure JC?"  
"Yeah, I'm the fastest climber."  
He swiftly climbed up to where she was and grabbed her hand. The tree branch snapped and all four of the guys on the ground ran closer to see if she fell with it. She had been pulled just in the nick of time off of it.  
"Thanks JC. You... you saved my life."  
JC leaned in toward her and pecked her a gentle kiss on the lips before jumping out of the tree. She sat there stunned and as still as a statue. Her trance was broken as JC climbed up again and shook her gently.  
"Kim?"  
"Yeah?" She replied like she was in a dream.  
"You have to get down now."  
"Oh, right. Thanks. I owe you my life."  
"No problem. Oh, and now you can't say that you haven't been kissed." He jumped out of the tree and waited for her at the bottom. She jumped after him and ran off. He was much faster and in the middle of the field he tackled her to the grass, lying on top of her.  
"You realize that I was just joking around, right?" He sounded nervous.  
"Of course JC. Can you get off of me now?"  
"Sure."  
She raced to her bike, got on and rode off. The five boys soon followed in quick pursuit. She turned on a sharp corner. The boys followed and Chris, the oldest of them, hit the turn too hard and tumbled off of the bike. She stopped, turned around, and came back to see if he was ok.  
"Hey, you alright?"  
"Sike!"  
He grabbed her extended hand and yanked her to the ground. The other four boys followed in suit and tackled her in a huge pile up. She was still on her knees. After what seemed like ten minutes but was really two hours of trying to tackle each other and chases with bikes, it was time to go home for another day.

(Three months later)

JC sat around his room after coming back home from school. He was deep in thought as his phone rang.  
"Hello, JC Chasez speaking, who is this?"  
"This is the Disney studios, JC. You have the job on MMC."  
"What, you mean it?"  
"Yes. Come down for your first rehearsal and taping in Orlando in a week. You will have to live down here for this though."  
"My parents have already made reservations with family."  
"See you in a week JC."  
"See ya!"  
He quickly dialed Kim.  
"Hello, who is this?"  
"Kim, it's me JC."  
"Hey JC. You sure sound excited!"  
"Yeah. I got the job on MMC!"  
"That's great JC!"  
"I'm moving down there in two days!"  
"Two days?" Her voice fell dramatically.  
"Yeah. What's wrong?"  
"Nothing. Good luck!"  
"Thanks. I'll see ya tomorrow after school!"  
"Yeah. See ya." She hung up. Two weeks before, Justin and himself had tried out for parts at MMC. Chris, Joey and Lance had already moved away to different places. The phone rang again disrupting JC out of his trance.  
"JC, guess what?"  
"What Justin?"  
"I GOT THE JOB ON MMC!"  
"So did I! Cool!"  
"When are you moving down there?"  
"In two days. You?"  
"Same here! I already called Kim and told her. She wasn't too happy about something."  
"Yeah. She was the same when I called her too. Wonder why."  
"Oh well. See yeah down in Orlando!"  
"See ya Justin!"  
The next two days blew by. JC was so wrapped up in packing for his aunt's house, he forgot to meet Kim after school the next day. He left and forgot to say good-bye, just like Justin did.

(A few years later)

"Hey this is Carson Daly here at MTV's live TRL debut of N Sync, the newest boy band. Here they are performing Tearin' Up My Heart."  
The five guys danced to the music and sang in perfect key, just as they had practiced. One girl in the audience sat there smiling proudly; knowing that this was just the beginning for this new group, which had so much promise. She herself was in her early twenties, though just by looking at her face you could see the sorrow that she has lived through. For the next few years she would attend every event that those five boys were at in the United States. After the release of Celebrity, she went for a break to her childhood home, basking in the old memories each site had to hold. She took out her bike from the old garage and pedaled the familiar route to an old friend's house. She was surprised to see it just like the day she moved from the place. The same car, the same sign, the same of everything. She gathered up her courage and walked to the door and swiftly rapped her knuckles on it. A kind older lady answered.  
"Who is this?"  
"This is Kim Franco. I used to live in this community. I was wondering if the Chasezes still lived here. I was I friend of JC."  
"Is that you? My, have you grown since I saw you last in eighth grade before Josh moved to Orlando! How are you deary?"  
"Fine, Mrs. Chasez. How's JC?"  
"Good. He's coming home actually in a few hours."  
"Oh. I better leave then. Security will probably be crawling all over this place!"  
"No, come in. I insist." The old woman and the young lady talked for hours about times past and old memories. A knock came from the door and the woman answered it.  
"Hide in the kitchen! Go!" The girl ran swiftly to the small kitchen.  
"Hey honey, how's the tour?"  
"Great. Tiring, but great. The guys and I are going to grab a bite to eat in the kitchen and we'll be up in my room."  
"Do you guys remember that bike in the driveway?"  
"Yeah, remember our old friend Kim had that exact style. I wonder how she is anyway. She probably doesn't remember that we were the same five guys she once knew." They stepped into the kitchen and JC bumped into her.  
"MOM! There's a girl in here! Get security before more come!"  
"There's no need JC. You guys were just talking about me in the hall anyway." Their eyes grew wide as she spoke.  
"KIM?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I can't believe it's you! You look so much different!" JC pulled her into a big bear hug. Soon all five guys were in a huge group hug.  
"How are you?"  
"Great now!"  
"Oh shit!"  
"What Justin?"  
"We forgot to say goodbye to you before we left for Orlando years ago!"  
"Yeah, I got over it soon."  
"Hey, haven't you been the girl that's been at every single event in the US that we've done?"  
"That was me."  
"Do you still sing and dance?"  
"Yeah."  
"Guys, let's go up to my room with Kim, like old times."  
"Cool." They walked up the creaking stairs talking and laughing like the close friends they were. The old woman smiled as she stood in the open doorway at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes went misty as all of the old memories of those same kids, now young adults, clobbered noisily up those stairs, pushing and shoving from jokes and comments, came flooding back. As that young woman talked with her long lost friends, the look of long sorrow left her face, leaving a look of renewed happiness and youth from years past. Her smile turned from forced to natural. Her fake and sarcastic laughter changed to outbursts of giggles and peals of ringing laughter. Her eyes that were dull from past tears cried and empty from sadness were once again glittering with tears of joy and mirth and full with a happy spirit. Her tone of voice wasn't sorrowful and depressed, it was full of happy memories and old jokes, forgotten songs and abandoned sayings. After every other word a smile graced her face, lighting it up so it almost was shining with joy and pride.  
"So, what every did you do after JC and I left?"  
"Well, I got on not only National Junior Honor Society the rest of the years I was eligible, but National Honor Society, and I went to college. So, really nothing much happened." Kim dropped down on the edge of the bed. The room was filled with music awards and instruments. JC sat next to her and leaned against the headboard.  
"Well, you know everything that's gone on with us."  
"I love your new CD! I can't stop listening to it. It brings back so many memories." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.  
"Hey guys, let's play truth or dare, for old times sake." Kim shot Justin an evil glare. She remembered the things they tried to get her to do.  
"Please Kim?" She sighed as JC gave her puppy dog eyes that he knew she could not resist. She grinned.  
"Alright, I guess."  
"Who's gonna start?" Everyone, at the exact same time, shouted "ME!"  
"Umm, how about Kim starts?" Kim gave each of the men a once-over glance. Her eyes lingered for a split second longer on JC. It didn't go unnoticed.  
"JC, truth or dare?"  
"Truth."  
"Who do you like?"  
"I plead the fifth."  
"JC, if you don't answer, I'll chose something for you to do."  
"Fine, Justin. What are you going to have me do?"  
"Kiss Kim." She averted her glance from JC as Justin made his little idea well known. Her face glowed scarlet red from embarrassment.  
"Justin?"  
"Yes?"  
"Why would you want him to kiss me, of all people?"  
"Because kissing Joey would be too gross." Everyone cracked up laughing.  
"Well?" Lance pushed. "Are you gonna kiss her or chicken out?"  
"Wouldn't that be your first kiss Jace?"  
"No, I had that a long time ago." JC's sapphire eyes met Kim's cadet blue eyes as he spoke. She blushed redder, if that was even possible and looked away.  
"KISS HER ALREADY!"  
JC slowly leaned in toward her face. Their eyes closed as their lips gently met. Soon his tongue slid gracefully into her mouth, exploring its crevices and corners. Her tongue met his and they tangoed in the uncharted territory, claiming each other's mouths as their own. Her arms slid around his neck, pulling him closer to her. He leaned forward toward her to be closer to her. They both slowly lowered to the floor so he was on top of her. Catcalls and whistles reached their ears as they broke out of the world that they entered as they kissed. JC slowly pulled his lips away from hers, fighting the temptation to kiss them again. She still had her arms around his neck. He leaned down toward her ear and whispered, "Now you definitely can't say that you haven't been kissed." She blushed again as he rose and sat down in his seat again. She could feel his eyes overpowering her as she stared at the floor.  
"JC, it's your turn," she quietly whispered.  
"Justin, truth or dare?"  
"Dare."  
"Moon the next car the comes down the street."  
"OK." Justin watched the window and pulled the back of his pants down to moon the passing car. Everyone rolled around on the floor laughing hysterically.  
"Lance, truth or dare?"  
"I feel daring. Dare."  
"Sing I'm A Slave for You and belly dance."  
"The whole song?"  
"No, just the one part in the video where she does it." He sang the one part in his bass voice and tried to belly dance, which looked like he was just sticking his butt out in the air and shaking it. Everyone proceeded to laugh until they had tears in their eyes.  
"Kim, truth or dare?"  
She pondered her answer before speaking. "Truth."  
"Who do you like?"  
"First, what would I have to do if I didn't answer?"  
"Umm, dance to Bootylicious and do some of the ass-shaking moves."  
"I'll take the dance."  
"No, answer the question first," JC burst out.  
She glanced nervously at the floor. "You," she whispered. JC's eyes grew wide with shock.  
"Since when?"  
"Eighth grade," she answered in the same whisper. She hid her head from the guys in shame.  
"Well, even though you didn't say who you liked, just dance and we'll let ya off the hook." She looked at them with a look of shock written across her face. She quickly covered it up.  
"Sure." She sang beautifully in key and performed some of the exact moves from the video. Her body flowed with the rhythm like liquid silk. JC's eyes were riveted to her every move as she danced. She finished with a flawless turn.  
"How's that?" Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she sat down to catch her breath.  
"Wow, you really have changed since we last talked to you. You would give Britney a major run for her money!" She looked at the floor again and blushed.  
"I'm not that good."  
"Yeah you are!"  
"Anyway, Chris, truth or dare?"  
"Truth."  
"The night of the seventh grade dance when you and your date went missing, where were you?"  
"Umm, we were making out." Everyone shouted in disgust.  
"What?"  
"Guys, I have a surprise for you."  
"What's that Kim?"  
"First, JC, do you have five dark bandanas that I could use?"  
"Sure." He handed her five matching midnight blue bandanas.  
"Follow me." They followed her for a good two miles on the old roads when she suddenly stop.  
"Close your eyes." She wrapped the bandana as a blindfold around each of their eyes and guided their hands together. JC rested his hand on her shoulder. She shivered under his firm touch.  
"Don't let go guys or you'll fall." She led them over rocks and fields until they were next to a stream. She stopped and unblindfolded them.  
"You have to catch me to get to the actual surprise!" She sprinted off toward an open field. JC and the others followed her in hot pursuit. She climbed swiftly into one lone willow tree that had remnants of boards scattered around it. A recently re-stained platform was resurrected in its branches. "Surprise!"  
"You built this on your own?"  
"Yeah, just in case you guys ever came back. How do you like it?"  
"Like it? We love it!" They swung up into the branches and sat down on the platform.  
"How long did it take to build?"  
"It took all of my eighth grade summer after all of you guys left. I came here after work and worked on it for hours, planning it and then building and staining. I re-stained it last summer."  
"Hey guys, what's that ball of light heading toward Kim?"  
"I don't know Lance." Kim stared at the ball with a dreamy expression on her face. She reached out to touch the ball as if she were in a trance and vanished into thin air.  
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"  
"We better go after her." They all reached in and touched the glowing ball of white substance. They felt as though they were falling through the sky and everything went black.


End file.
